Making headway in a promising direction for the scientific community, the number of fast-track visas allowing scientists from abroad to undertake research at UK universities will double from 62 to more than 120. UK home secretary Priti Patel has made a formal announcement for an immediate increase in the number of eligible fellowships that can benefit from accelerated visas.
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The move comes after warnings from sector stakeholders of a significant scientific skills shortage and potential harm to their global reputation in the wake of Britain exiting the EU.
Prof. Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, president of the UK’s Royal Society, had been putting his best foot forward for implementation of such reforms, since the result of the referendum on membership of the EU in 2016.
Designed to keep the UK at the forefront of innovation, individuals who receive these select fellowships will only need to provide a letter from the relevant funding organisation, which will see them fast-tracked to the Home Office visa application stage where immigration checks will be carried out.
The UK PM, Boris Johnson plans to scrap the cap on “tier one” visas for highly skilled migrants, whose limit is 2,000 a year currently. He believes that this would make the system work better for scientists and their families and make the UK a “supercharged magnet“, drawing scientists like iron filings from around the world coming to help push forward projects like fusion research in Culham.
Responding positively to this announcement, Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities UK, said it would “help attract the brightest and best research stars to the UK at a time when our place on the world stage is changing”.
Curiopedia
Brexit, a portmanteau of “British” and “exit”, is the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). Following a June 2016 referendum, in which 51.9% voted to leave, the UK government formally announced the country’s withdrawal in March 2017, starting a process that is currently due to conclude with the UK withdrawing no later than 31 January 2020. Withdrawal is advocated by Eurosceptics and opposed by pro-Europeanists, both of whom span the political spectrum. More Info
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